Faction Before Blood
by josiemausconn
Summary: What if Beatrice didn't choose Dauntless that faithful day? What if she chose Erudite? How would she affect the war, now that she is on the opposite side? Please read and review!
1. Chapter 1

At first I didn't understand. How could I have an aptitude for more than one faction? It seemed as though Abnegation was the only one that I would ever be in. I had lived me entire life being loyal to my family, loyal and selfless. Now I was being told that I would fit in better elsewhere. Abnegation, Erudite, or Dauntless? I was Divergent. She told me it was dangerous, she told me I could be harmed. I just now had to choose the faction that would help me live my life like nothing was different about me…

**-DIVERGENT-**

It was the day of the Choosing Ceremony. I was surprised at how sure I was about my decision. I was going to choose Erudite—faction before blood right? I was scared though, nervous about my choice of leaving my family. I would be known as the traitor in our family, and my parents would treasure Caleb for staying. At least he Chose before me, so I wouldn't have to see him make the choice after my betrayal. We were now having the rules of the Choosing explained to us. But I knew what was going to happen—each sixteen year old pierces her skin with the knife and adds their blood to the bowl that represents their new life. All of us were lined up in alphabetical order when they began to call names. They went in backwards order of how we were lined up, so Caleb and I would be closer to the beginning rather than the end. Names were called, one by one, until the name _Caleb Prior_ was read. I held my breath as my brother walked up to the front of the room and accepted the knife. He dipped the blade into his skin and squeezed the palm of his hand until blood droplets flowed out. Then he carefully placed his hand over a bowl and the blood dropped. I let out my breath in shock. Caleb's blood sprinkled into the water. Caleb chose Erudite. We were going to be together.

**TBC**


	2. Chapter 2

I was still pondering the situation when _"Beatrice Prior," _was called. The teenager next in line started shoving me towards the front of the room. It wasn't that I was nervous about my choice, I was still apprehensive about being the second child to go to a different faction than my parents. I accepted the knife and stuck the blade in the palm of my hand carefully. I tried to be strong; I tried not to wince as my skin split apart. The blood poured out easily and I shot an apologetic look to my parents. My dad wasn't looking; my mom looked at me with a sad smile on her face. I couldn't return it, so I looked away as my blood dropped into the water, turning it even more pink than clear.

I met up with Caleb after the Choosing who seemed just as surprised that we were in the same faction.

"_You _had an aptitude for Erudite?" he asked, incredulous.

"Yeah…" I said, only sort-of lying.

"It's good to be here with you though Beatrice." Caleb said, and I smiled softly at him. We followed the path of Erudite initiates towards a bus which I presumed was going to take us to the Erudite headquarters. There was a large plate-like object on the very top of the bus. It reflected the sun's light. I had never seen such thing before, but I assumed it was a solar panel. I got on the large, well-crafted bus after Caleb and we sat together.

"Susan," I said simply, just to start conversation.

"Robert," Caleb shot back with a slight smirk. I rolled my eyes.

"Oh come on Caleb. Everyone knows about you and Susan." I said. He just shrugged.

"We have to go where life takes us Beatrice. I guess we just weren't meant to be." Caleb muttered. I decided not to say anymore.

When we reached the Erudite headquarters, I was in awe just looking at the huge structure of the building. Caleb stayed at my side as we were led to the dormitories. I was pleased to find mine and Caleb's bunks adjacent to each other. On the beds, as well as clean sheets and a blanket, I found a blue T-shirt. Caleb had the same on his bed. I looked at the other people in the room as they pulled off their clothes and slipped on the blue T-shirt. Caleb and I were a bit apprehensive, because after all we were from Abnegation and people there have loads of self-decency as we were not allowed to reveal any part of our body. But Caleb slowly pulled his gray shirt over his head, and I did the same. We both put on our blue shirts and followed the crowd downstairs. The conversation was light in the hallways, not silent like I was used to, but not screaming either. Another initiate walked up to me.

"Hello. I'm Julie," she said with a grin. I smiled at her.

"Beatrice," I said.

"Abnegation?" she wondered. I nodded, and inclined my head towards her. "Amity," she replied. I nodded again. That explained the friendliness.

"Do you know where we are going?" I asked. Julie nodded eagerly.

"My brother is in Erudite. He's nineteen, and my mother and I have visited him every Visiting Day. We are going to get started with training so we can do the initiation."

"Oh ok. Is the initiation hard…?" I questioned.

"If you don't study!" Julie laughed. I forced a laugh along with her. By then we had reached what looked like a meeting place. I stood next to Julie, and Caleb was on my other side. I saw a woman with hair slightly darker than mine step up onto a platform. She wore a pair of spectacles perched on the tip of her nose.

"Welcome. I am Jeanine Matthews."

**TBC**


	3. Chapter 3

The woman that had introduced herself as Jeanine Matthews began to talk about Erudite initiation. I was listening intently. I had no intention of becoming factionless, and I wanted to be a member of Erudite. Julie seemed a bit more carefree, she had started braiding her hair about ten minutes ago. Jeanine was telling us about how each of the new initiates would have start school immediately. The Erudite-born had been in school for this very purpose their entire lives, so it was a bit more relaxed before their member initiation.

"Now, without further ado, I would like to welcome all the new initiates to Erudite once more, and say good luck in your training," said Jeanine, her voice echoed around the room. A boy near the front of the room began to clap and the rest of the people joined in, some more apprehensive than others. Julie didn't clap though.

"That was a good speech," I told her.

"I've heard better. Jeanine Matthews is all about the show. She puts on a show for people so they like her." Julie said with a shrug.

"Then why did you choose Erudite if you don't like the leader?" I asked.

"Because I don't fit anywhere else," she said. We started walking with the other initiates towards our classroom. I had figured out that all Erudite was, was a big classroom. The point was to learn things, to become academic. We all took our seats, me next to Julie and Caleb again. An older Erudite took his place at the front of the room. He was bespectacled, as it seemed like all of Erudite was, whether they needed the or not.

"Welcome to your first day of class, initiates." The man said. He introduced himself as Marshall Davidson. "Appropriate as it may be, your first class here in Erudite is about the human brain." Marshall went on to explain the functions of the brain, as well as the sections. Cerebellum, cerebrum, medulla. I listened closely again. I didn't want to miss a thing. It was fun, learning things about my brain that I never would have thought existed. Abnegation education was more sheltered. We learned the normal things, 1 2 3 and A B C, but we never got as in depth as this. Marshall asked questions, hands shot up to answer them. I found myself and Caleb getting called on several times, but Julie never raised her hand. I made a mental note to ask what was up with her. After all, it was her choice to choose Erudite.

"Beatrice I am impressed," Marshall said, after I answered yet another question correctly. I beamed. "You are catching on quite well!"

"Thank you sir," I said.

"Would you mind if I moved you up a class Miss Prior?" he asked. I looked at Julie and Caleb. Neither would meet my eyes.

"N-no sir." I said. "Go for it."

"Great. Follow me." Marshall led me out of the room. I shot Caleb and Julie another look before I left, to no avail. "It is quite impressive on how much your brain has developed for someone of a mere sixteen years old," Marshall said, still praising me.

"Thank you sir," I said again.

"Jeanine will be fascinated by the development…" he muttered, and I wondered if this time that wasn't meant for my ears. I followed him down the long, empty hallway, before he led me into another room, almost identical to the one I left.

"Andrew, an advanced initiate!" Marshall said with a large smile. I forced one of my own as I entered the room. I looked around at the people in the room. Same age as me, but this time, these were the Erudite-born.

"Great to have you," the man, Andrew, said. I nodded. "Take a seat right there…yes…next to Tyler." I sat where I was instructed.

"A Stiff…" I heard muttered around the room. I just shook my head disapprovingly. Marshall and Andrew talked for a while, until I saw Marshal leave the room. Andrew stood at the front of the room and began to teach again. The stuff that was coming out of his mouth made absolutely no sense to me. It was more than a slight advancement—I mean, these people had been learning for sixteen years! But I assumed that if Marshall thought I belonged here, then I did. I listening to the lesson, taking notes on almost everything. By the time it was over, I thought that I had understood the basics of what he was talking about. I was proud of myself—maybe my brain really was overdeveloped.


End file.
